C.O.W. - #043: The Most Useless Creature - VOTING!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: MIKECORRIERO
concept: Phizzles
Sloppy, cute and pathetic, a phizzle is nothing more than a floating particle. You know those tiny little specs of dust that you sometimes choke on or get caught in your eye...yea, it's a phizzle. They don't even compete in size against a gnat which fly faster, are more intelligent and actually serve a purpose, at least they live long enough to provide a food source for other species. The phizzles get their name because they are born and die so quickly that an animal hardly gets a chance to see one before their light dies out. They are mainly hatched and born near heat or flames, this is where the name phizzle derived from. When a nest of phizzles are born near a fire they are immediately drawn to it for no good reason, they just like the pretty lights...and that's when you get those little snap crackle and pops, sparks and burst of burning embers emitting from the camp fires. Phizzles are for the most part invisible due to their minute size and short life span, the average life expectancy of a phizzle can be as short as 30 seconds. This is however enough time for a phizzle to reproduce. They are asexual you see, and they burst off the bulbous end of their tales thus laying an asexual egg so to speak in which a new phizzle takes form. What does a phizzle do? they just die pretty much... but they make neat sounds when they pop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Simonl
concept:
The Obese Mole-rat was a marketing failure for Genepets Inc. In order to appeal to parenting instincts of pet owners, Genepets created an animal entirely dependent on it's owners for survival.
It has no teeth, so it cannot chew. It's owners must prechew it's food. It has no nose, so it cannot breath except through it's mouth, which is too small. It has puny legs entirely inadequate to the task of hauling it's fat arse around. Talking of it's arse, it has an inconveniently located anus that coats the creature's body in foul smelling faeces. The owner must wash the creature several times a day otherwise it dies of shit-based dermatitis in a matter of hours. It has the most incredibly sensitve skin and will develop terminal sunburn if exposed to sunlight. If the owner leaves the creature's sight, it will emit the loudest, most annoying sound in the world until the owner comes back. Many don't.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Erilaz
concept: The Common Dropling
This entirely airborne species are cloud-dwelling blobs that
hibernate 360 days a year, living off air and water. During
mating season (the remaining 5 days), the female becomings heavy
with eggs, and plummets to the ground in a formless plasma, where
upon she burrows slightly beneath the ground and incubates.
Offspring are released as steam-like particles that enter the atmosphere
and grow into fully mature adults in the clouds.
The Dropling has no natural predators, as their chemical makeup
is predominately water and various laxative-inducing poisons. These
poisions have been tested for commercial use and have been found to have too many side effects to waste anyone's time on.
Research into their behaviour and biochemistry has been minimal, due to the fact that no one cares.
The only time the Dropling is ever noticed in fact, is when someone steps in one and wipes them off their shoe.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Helzon
concept: Was Teof's-Pace
Shown here in high posterior presentation
Was Teof, an anthropologist of little regard discovered this little number while out on a remote dig near the Olduvai Gorge. Known to the locals as the "Foot shadow", the Pace would ever hound the steps of a passerby finding relief within the brief shadow of their foot, chirping and skittering out of the way before being crushed. Their posteriors raised in the air sensed the shift in light and ambient air pressure. Furthermore, they also had the uncanny ability to know exactly where the next footfall would be and thus begin the game again. A specimen was brought back to the Royal Conservatory for further observation/breeding and study...however it was soon determined that the creatures did nothing but live for fleeing before being mashed into a goo pile.
It was euthanized for it's own good. And the repute of Was Teof was forever linked with this most useless creature, but in time..as all things are... the name was ever bastardized eventually mutating into 'waste of space'.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: br0ken_spirit
concept: Unclassified Species #485 of Planet X-72
Several planetary Earth State-Colonies have determined the recording and preservation of new species and specimens in newly discovered planets. This is a new Age of Exploration for Earth's different interstellar nations, which has lead to increased funding in the different science and exploration departments. Journey, adventure, and discovery on new territories and frontiers.
Some nations have determined that for every new species encountered, several specimens must be preserved and protected for latter research. This has lead our ship to become a sort of space-age Noah's Ark, only with many members of the same species instead of two.
We have made progress in the study of many of the species and their possible uses to our nation, yet have many more to analize.
One of the species encountered from our last expedition is consuming most of our resources in comparison to the other species.
From preliminary analysis we have come to the conclusion that these creatures could not have any sort of use so far. They are very prone to diseases and die quickly, needing plenty of attention. However they are also very violent and could not be kept as pets, it is actually very stressing for us to maintain them. Their face-needle can be quite harmful, yet these creatures are not fit for any kind of animal labor do to their very un-fit physique. They move by slowly crawling around on their stomach, in a lazy manner, helped by their small proto-limbs. They cannot be used as a food source since their body contains a significant ammount of cyanide, and they have the most hiddeous stench.
We have conjectured that this species was on the brink of extintion when we found them. Even though they seem to be completely useless to us so far, our orders are to preserve each and every species in our journey until delivered at base on our return.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: walnut
concept: Squeezebugger
Among the many brief fads that pop up in high society, these nauseating little buggers must have been one of the most decadent and pointless. Genetailored by the (in)famous dna-cutter El Lombrando, the purpose of a squeezebugger is to process and secrete everything it eats into a delicious (yet completely unnourishing) nectar. For a split second they were all the rage at jetset parties around the M-45512267-X cluster, but pretty soon their deficiency came to light: the nectar-making, which is the only redeemable asset of a squeezebugger's existence only lasts through its adolescency, which last up to a week maximum. After that all they do is wiggle around on the floor, dripping the most vile and putrid fluids on the floor. Many specimens were quickly chucked down the waste-chute by their disgusted owners. El Lombrando's career went down the drain after this, as you might imagine. Some specimens still exist however, being kept alive mainly by pitying petlovers and scientist who, until the day have not found anything useful about them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: rawwad
concept: Suplumgo
This creature was found in jungles of Amazonia in 2006. As first met these creatures some explorers which discovered jungle. They fond huge group of consisted from big suplumgos which moving out of jungle. They speed was incredible, this kind of animal was slower than snails. Explorers started to study them and they completed interesting facts about this suplumgos. First interesting thing is using of stink as defence. This stnik is terrible, it is worst smell on the world. Also when this creature die that started to smell more. Also they are meneaters, because they are feed on our oxid! Biggest produce of oxid is in the cities where people live. And suplumgos started to emigrate there. When people go closer to them, they start attack. None human in history was injured by suplumgo, because they are so slow. But biggest problem with suplumgos is their uselessness, huge proportions and big population. In 2031 was all Southern America colonised by them. In 2036 they crossed border to Nort America. It is global problem, because cities are fully of suplumgos. Dissolution is very expensive for money and time, because their population grow faster and faster. People stop affraid them, starting using gas masks and waiting for better days. Everyone hate them, because disaster like this cramp all community.
suplumgo negatives: horrible stink, big proportions, waste of space, slow speed, huge population, oxid eating (oxid needs tree), concentration in cities,
suplumgo positives: ?, only one, their huge bodies are good place for advertisement and graffiti

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Azathoth
concept: THE SWAMP SLOTH Aka(The mud sucker)
these useless creatures inhabit the bottoms of swamps and mud pits all throughout the southern most bowels of the Yin-Sloth jungles.They are asexual and reprouduce by squeezing out a small but fully developped sloth at some point durring thier borring lifecycle. Thier existance is to slowly and I do mean slowly(almost undetectable) crawl allong in the mud sucking up mud and absorbing some unkown substance(probably dead vegetal matter) out of the mud.
Then it extrudes the now slightly toxic fecal muck back out through one of its' anul tubes. These creatures are not usefull as a food source for any other creature because of thier hard mineral deposit exteriors which ooze a mildly acidic
slime. Besides even if one could break the skin there is no nutritional value in any part of their noxious bodies. Also thier digestion process was thought to be like that of an earthworm but instead of enriching the soil they make the soil a poorer quality and it is considered toxic up to one month. Then it slowly releases the toxins and returns to some what normal muck.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: supersalenco
concept:
This creature is blind ,always is scared , and hasn´t claws. Every day is hill and has conjunctivitis , and it has survived because one day of his "life" vomits a lot of eggs : its songs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: michamachtlos
concept:
Intino lives in computers, and nourishes themselves off dust particles. it is bred in China and is used in the production of blanks.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Fozzybar
concept: Lucifer Toad
Legend has it that...
...in the darkest, thickest and deepest swamp on earth the Lucifer Toad has its habitat.
It's breeding by day, it's breeding by night.
Breeding the worst attributes of a humans mind.
The endless hatchery of darkness.
Producing no new life, producing the seed of evil.
When the spawns time has come, it leaves the eggs and the swamp spreading over the world and visiting mankinds homes and minds:
envy, perfidy, greed, distrust, stinginess, falsehood and many other children of hate hatching out.
Infecting mankind they sow hate and they gather hate.
Emerging from War, Fight, Vengeance and other faces of evil - hate arises to the sky, gathering in pitch-black clouds.
Wandering to the swamps and causing a dark downfall, closing the circle - the circle of evil.
The Lucifer Toad sows hate, eats hate, is hate.
Poisoning its surrounding, rotting the world it lives in and defiling mankind,
this makes the Lucifer Toad the most useless creature on our planet, maybe the most useless creature at all.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Nexus
concept: Malevorum
The Malevorum inhabits a dimension which exists in the same timespace as our own but because of the peculiar nature of its molecular structure doesnt interact with our own world in anyway except throught the occasional exchange of various energies. The Malevorum is essentially a psychic parasite. It spends its day floating lazily through the alternate dimension siphoning negative mental energy from the turmoil of the human population through its psi-umbilicus. It stores this negative energy within its ponderous abdomen and utilizes the energy as sustenance and to keep itself afloat. The Malevorum uses its large arms only to secure itself during powerful storms and its tiny hindlegs are the vestigial reminder of its once terrestrial ancestors. For the most part the Malevorum remains in a semi-comatose state and is only fully conscious when feeding. Unfortunately the Malevorum are so few in number that their feedings never alleviate the continual strife and negativity found amongst the human species. Even worse the psychic backlash caused by two or more Malevorum being in close proximity causes an influx of ill-will and on occassion migraine headaches. The Malevorum exists to sleep and feed, it gives nothing of itself and provides only pain.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: JakkaS
concept: STERMINIO
”The Heroes’ Doom”
“The harder you try, the better you are….for Sterminios it doesn’t work”
”How become a Hero for dummies”
Chapter 5: When I should run?
“Did you ever saw a pinkie, sweet mist? Have you every taste the sweetness in the air? Did you feel like God? No? Anyway, when the day comes and you feel it…..just…..RUN AWAY FOR YOUR LIFE OR YOU WILL BE DOOMED!”
Sterminios lived in the higher levels of the Hell but Lucypher has cursed and banished them, because they were useless. They always tried to help the damned souls and they were bringing the Hell’s reputation to ruin. When they abandoned their old homes they spread over whole universe to “help” people. But they were cursed by devil and the harder they tried the results were worse. However, they have never given up and they try until these days. …
“Rollin’ Heroes Magazine”
Interview with Dr NOONE
"…usually when you see a pink mist you can be pretty sure the Sterminio is in around. These creatures travel across the galaxy in searching for people in trouble they could help. Bigger trouble faster Sterminio arrives. Probably they have a “Trouble Detector”. Usually the biggest troubles in the galaxy have the heroes. Hahaha... [black character laughs].
Anyway, Sterminios just want to help and their intentions are pure and….useless because they just can’t do anything good. For example. Last week I was on the burial of YO-MAN …you now? This black character… not black…...just black, because he had a black skin. Hahaha [black character laughs]... Anyway, he was good but he was doomed by the Sterminio. I heard that he was fighting with the 6 eyed, 4 legged, 2 armed and 0 brained Giant and he almost won. But in the critical moment he dropped his sword. Of course, in a few seconds, the battlefield was covered with pink mist and our hero discovered that he was keeping in his hands a beauuuuuutttiful shiny two-handed sword, a dream of every hero. He felt like a young god - strong and fresh. He jumped out of his hideout and started to attack…… Yap, this was the last thing he did. When he was attacking, the sword became pink and started to... sing a greatest hits of BEE GEES. Hahaha [black character laughs]. Yap, he died in the rhythm of “Saturday night fever”. Hahahahahahahahahahaha [black character laughs]...”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: hwango
concept:
"My lord, Spawning Vats A through F report success. Each one has spawned a new race of horrors for your dread army. The creatures in Vat C actually tore apart the demon who opened it!"
"Excellent! Soon, my armies shall - wait, did you say Vats A through F? Don't we have a vat G?"
"Er, yes. But there seems to have been a problem with that one. Best not to worry about it. Now, Vat B - there's a winner! The things that came out of it are coated in a sticky acidic goo and have about a dozen tentacles tipped with highly poisonous stingers!"
"What came out of Vat G?"
"Vat F was pretty good too. Armor plating, breathes fire, razor sharp claws - great for your army. Yep, great for the army."
"What came out of Vat G?"
"Really, my lord, best not to -"
"WHAT CAME OUT OF VAT G?!"
"...these, my lord."
- The demon lord wanted soldiers for his army, and instead he got the Floofy Fuzzlug. The Fuzzlug is unaware of how big a disappointment it is, since it takes no notice of anything going on around it, being too distracted by the glowing thing hanging from its head. Its objective always remains out of reach, though, because the Fuzzlug is too stupid to lower its head. They're a complete failure - they aren't dangerous in any way, can't move on their own, and don't provide enough light to actually be useful. Worst of all, they don't even taste good.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: mybutterflyiris
concept: [/B]Arpuselarpess
To everyone's dismay, this creature hitched a ride to earth on a space shuttle. It is now a very big nusance to most eathlings and does not fit into any of earth's ecosystems in a productive way. This 2 inch long creature is Asexual and has a life span of about a week in which it can lay between 100 and 200 eggs. It's diet consists of paint and stucko off of houses. The creature is also highly poisonous for all earthly beings if eaten or if contact with skin occurs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: eraser
concept:
Meet the cleaning buddy,a creature with the only purpose of cleaning people's body hair.This creature is found only in the dark corners of school cafeterias.It grabs on to the first person it comes in contact with but it hardly succeeds due to it's very small size and slow moving speed.Once attached to a human body it will clean the the body hairs but it will also emit a vicious odor from it's lower body.You will probably feel clean but you will defenitely smell bad so youll need to wash yourself.In the end it cleans you for nothing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: rWDrk
concept: Augurkie mama
Augurkie mama is one of the most useless creatures that exists.
The only thing that Augurkie mama's do is sit, sit and sit. They just look around untill they die.
When a Augurkie mama is at the end of her live, they will produce a new Augurkie mama.
The baby has grown in to the red behind. When it gets older it will move to the belly and waits untill the mother die's. The new Augurkie mama will exit true the belly button of the mother. Then he sits and wait untill he/she can produce the next generation.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Tyranx
concept: Obese Drogh
The dude in there is just for reference, otherwise he'd get eaten.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: chaosrocks
concept:
These small dogs are the offshoot of a very cute breed that was intended to be the pampered pets of rich people. Unfortunately the breeders removed all the interesting dog-like character traits and left behind a nearly inert dog with not enough muscle to move, buried in nasty greasy hair. It drools and pees so the lower half of its fur is always filthy and sodden and it stinks. Too big to feed to snakes and too small to eat. Viola...useless

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Brand_X
concept:
When the Glass Fly first appeared on Earth (presumably having hitched a ride on a small comet or meteor) there was fear that the alien organism would devastate the local ecosystem. However it soon became apparent that the creature was benign to the point of uselessness.
The silicon based life form neither eats or is eaten by anything in the food chain. It is to small and reproduces to slowly to compete for space.
Searches for a utilitarian use for the Glass Fly have also failed as it is to delicate to be fashioned into tools or ornament and fairs poorly in captivity. Some find it beautiful and exotic but just as many are repulsed by its alienness.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: arteric
concept: The Knulanvoyd
And you think math ruined YOUR life. Science says the Knulanvoyd exists, but like Black Holes or Dark matter, they have never been seen. Born into a sphere-like universe of quasi-reality, these beings are forever trapped, victims of the Uncertainty Principal and high-order mathematics.
Generated as the result of an infinitely repeating fraction in the proof of Einstein’s Theory of relativity, famous minds such as Stephen Hawking, Werner Heisenberg, and the Carl Sagan have all mentioned the Knulanvoyd and it’s meaningless universe in obscure sections of their texts. Each has said that due to the rules of Chaos Theory, these are beings completely without purpose because even though THEY exist, everything they do never truly does.
Living in a quantum void surround by realities of innumerable chance, their every action is immediately negated by mathematical probability. Due to the natural balance formed to offset Einstein’s repeating fraction, everything about them from their movements to their very thoughts ceases to exist in the nanosecond after it happens.
These creatures have no effect on the physical world as we know it, they convey no energy to the fabric of reality, nor do they fill an actual area in real space-time. The numbers say they are there, but beyond the numbers they have no bearing on existence in any manner, theoretical or otherwise. Maybe when the Ultimate Unified theory is finally discovered these creatures might gain a reason or purpose in the ordered universe, but until that day it can truly be said “They might as well not exist at all.”
Below, an artists concept of the Knulanvoyd surrounded by it’s non-existant universe; a sphere of innumerable chance. Whether they are gigantic or microscopic, it really doesn’t matter, does it?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Tom Garden
concept: Bearded Roident
This poor creature has a nasty habit a few days after birth to start developing huge muscles everywhere. And this gets worse as it gets older. Which pretty much makes it the toughest thing on four legs, but also - completely inanimate, and unable to move due to its muscular tension.
They normally reside as seen on their back, hoping for some water or food to land on its mouth.
Quite often the muscles will get so tense and break the creatures bones, making it EVEN more inanimate, and in pain - poor thing!
And how do they mate?!?! or give birth you cry!!! OK OK, i hear you all, now shh - the answer is simple. They are hermaphrodites, and can asexually create their own children. Sadly though - many children are shot out so fast from the muscle tension - that they dont live long.
I fear we may be seeing the last days for this creature.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: H.H.V.
concept: Masterbait
A Masterbait is a tragic creature.
It has 2 penisses and 4 testicals. This is for reproducing his species and peeing.
The masterbait have 2 penisses because they were creatures that just had sexual intercourse that much, they couldn't do it all with one. Also a reason for having more penisses is that they only drink. They live on fluids.
The tragic is that their hornyness was that overwhelming that, when a group of male Masterbait discovered a female, they jumped on the creature and choked it as they all wanted a piece of her. The female part of the Masterbait were completely killed or killed them selves in a short time. The last Male Masterbait can't mastrubate, because they don't have hands, giving blowjobs only hurts because they have beak kind of mouths. Putting their penisses in something will not work because their stomach is to big. The second tragic thing is that they have 2 penisses to get the bad fluids out, but they don't have an anus, because they only need to drink. That wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't the fact that they really like food. But when they eat food it hurts like hell. Leaving them puking everything out again.
Eventually this species will be extinct...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: romance
concept: The Weeping Wogan
About the size of a house cat, the Weeping Wogan's soul existance is to cry at funerals. They wander the land in search of the recently departed, (with their keen sense of smell), so that they may shed their tears. With long mouths, they can even produce mating calls that sounds uncanny to the blowing nose of a recent widow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Plate
concept: The Slurg
This fat, lazy, and practically braindead creature is remarkable in that it is the only animal that doesn't fit into any known food chain. It only consumes (and excretes) mud, from which, by some unexplained digestive process, it is able to survive . It is immune from predators, partly because it inhabits barren swamps and wastelands, and partly because it tastes awful and has no nutritional value. No useful products have yet been made from them because their flesh rots quickly and smells terrible. But despite their lack of natural enemies and the abundancy of their food source, slurgs rarely die of old age - their most common cause of death is suffocation, either from digging their heads in the mud for too long, or simply from forgetting how to breathe.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: I.was.ink
concept: E-volve
Upon birth the E-volve look like colorful stones. In order to grow, they have the difficult task to e-volve into what will become their final state. They only have one hour to decide what they want to grow, and how much of it. The problem is that if they don't decide quick enough, they'll stay in their stone form forever. Due to their inexperience, they usually mimic their environment and each other. This particular E-volve was exposed to trees, vines, and others like him, giving him odd and unexpected results. It may not be the best outcome, but at least he's not stuck looking like a rock.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------artist: Muttonhead
concept: Cooper Industries Experiment #034386
Status: Failed
Recommendation: Incineration
For several years now, Cooper Industries has been working on trying to develop a humanoid soldier with a naturally grown exo-skeleton. Unfortunately, most of our attempts to grow a specimen in the Los Verdes laboratory have been complete failures. #034386 was our last attempt, as the funding for the experiment has finally dried up. As you can see, #034386 was, like all other attempts, a complete failure, as the head ended up growing on the right arm, and in place of the head, a claw. Also, the right arm fused with the right leg, making them inoperable. Interestingly, #034386 did have a functioning left claw which did appear to have some amount of articulation, but with no brain to operate it, it wasn't enough of a breakthrough to warrant further funding.

2. Feel free to comment on any or all entries, the artists will appreciate it!

3. No voting for your own entry!!! If a participants votes for his own entry, every member has the right to call him a stupid lame morone in this thread! And i will delete his/her vote anyway...

not accepted entries:

All WIPs

close to rejection:

Erilaz
Last round i rejected cognition.sb's entry, because his creature basically was a blob or jelly block...since the topic of this round is "most useless" i accept your entry

special note:

michamachtlos
as long as you find somebody to translate your concept i will take it and also if the image speaks for itself...but if no one can tell what your creature is meant to be or do i will reject it. Regard this just as an info so you won't run into problems for future...

Tough choice...
Voted for Romance - solid. Seems like an annoyingly pointless creature. The interesting catch is that its presence would cheapen funerals, since it cries out of habit instead of remorse.

rushtoy - Also considered voting for your ponderer, seems like an intriguing creature. I can picture it in a video game as the type of animal the player expects to hold some sort of big secret, but it never actually does anything.

Red - cool rendering. I hadn't seen it since the WIP stages, but your creature turned out real swell 'n stuff.

-http://iwasink.com/-DS Illustration
"Get reference.
There is nothing wrong with using a photo to help you see things.
No one complains about life drawing,
so take a photo.
its easy, and will improve your piece greatly."

I said I would enter this round but this week was just too busy. Excellent turn out I might add. There are way too many entries I really like to list this time but I'll mention a few:

Tom Garden: I nearly spilled my drink when I saw your entry and the description was as hilarious, great job.

romance: I really love the bulbousness and how you lighted your creature.

Muttonhead: gorgeous colors and a really neat angle even if it breaks a few rules of cow

tyranx: the rendering is simply suberb in the face area but your creature, going by your description, is hardly useless.

Nexus: excellent design and the colors go really well together, I just wish there was a wee bit of background.

After some consideration, my vote goes to Tim Garden, upon first sight and after reading the concept, his creature just seems so... darn useless however it has now found a use since it has won my vote.

My vote went to Simonl. Bred to be completely useless to try and appeal to the parenting/nurture instinct? Damn, marketing gone horribly wrong. A strong idea, stuck with the theme... and the rendering rocked. The skin texture was fantastic, as was the weight of the creature.

My decision was down to Muttonhead and Redehlert (i thought the udders full of spoiled milk were brilliant...completely useless but also ironic)

Ultimately I went with Muttonhead because it was such a complete and beautiful piece of artwork. And the concept was also very good, specifically with the skull fused to the leg. For a creature to be truly useless I think it would have to be something created by another speices, otherwise it would not fit within any ecosystem and therefore quickly become extinct (or more likely, never evolve that way to begin with).

I agree with Redehlert, add the scientist's reflection and it would upgrade it to super-ultra-gnarly.

Others I really liked:

Rawwad, sweet grainy / brightly lit atmosphere

Jakkas and Tyranx, beautiful renderings as always

Rushtoy, cool concept and I liked the way the scarecrow's shadow fell across your creature.

HHV, thats some messed up shit, but your image definitely made me want to read your brief. Good work.

Beautiful round again in the COW. Now only if we could get IDoW up and running again......

Redehlert: You've come along way since I first joined these COWs. Fantastic stuff.

Cognition.sb: Thanks!

I.was.ink: Really cool concept. Not much time to decide what they want to be when they grow up, but plenty of time to regret it. Reminds me of people who had so much potential to become something great... but now work at Burger King.

In addition to the pleasantly understated yet near perfect render, SimonL's creature had a simple, effective backstory of a genetic "invention" made too well. Something about that irony hit the whole thing home fore me, and so he got my vote.

RAWWAD - love this one too. Very humorous creature, though he does feel a little "flat". But I love all of the guys hanging out in Time Square.

RedElhert - You get bonus points for a pretty good rhyme.

Simonl - Excellent! I see you also went with the "accident in the lab" approach.

Rushtoy - great idea as well, though I would have liked to have seen this piece a little more realized.

However, it really comes down to Nexus and Romance for me. Both entries are very clever, well-written ideas with excellent execution, and great rendering, and each have a unique style. Even though I think they are both winners, I will choose Nexus, because I really like the color usage.

Nice work everyone!

Posessed - Pfffft! RULES ARE FOR FOOLS! Haha, actually, I totally forgot about the "no humanoid" rule, but hopefully everyone will forgive me.....

Dude, there's a lot of competition here. So many incredible peices. Voted for Muttonhead. I thinks yours is perfect for the catagory. Great illustration. I felt like I was watching the Guyver all over again.

All so awesome ......
Some of these were so frigging hillarious........
my vote goes for Simonl.... great concept genetic alterations gone too far,,
could be the pets of tomorrow.
Redhelert love the textures and its' musculature..also great rhyme
Tyranx love the kick ass renderring...but the creature really is usefull.
Jackas...Great renderring as always but don't get the Concept....must be an inside RPG joke.
Nexus Awesome stuff ..reminds me of Robrt.William or Ed Roth a little bit...
Deplete D..looks good like the color scheme ...Soft and ethereal...But (No offence) but I think it was duplicated and blurred one too many times at least
without changing them some...
Romance... Loved the look and feel of this Reminds me Of Ryden in atwisted way
MuttonHead great stuff but this would kick ass in any other forum I just don't
think it consentrates enough on the creature...does it even live beyond the test tube?...also agree with other comment if you did the reflections up this is Cover Stuff..

Voted for Simonl, that thing looks so pitiful, its my favorite of the pocket babies. my only crit would be up the contrast a bit, while its teeming with detail, like skin flaps and moles and whatnot, it feels a bit underendered.